HawgBeat has confirmed that Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman will be in the coaches box instead of on the sideline during Saturday's Battle Line Rivalry game against the No. 24 Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri.
With sub-freezing temperatures and snow all over the field pregame, it's not surprising that Pittman is making this decision. The 63-year-old coach is set to have hip surgery next week.
"Well, my hip, I found out about my hip about 150... well, once I get the surgery, about 135-40 days ago," Pittman said Nov. 11. "And it just went out. Just *makes noise*. And so I found out I need to get a new hip. And it was at a point in time where it was so close to the season starting that I just didn't feel like I could do it.
"And as it's gone on, it's gotten sorer and sorer. I've got a bone-on-bone, and I've got a chip. I've got a broken hip, which, it is what it is. Sore. But as soon as we get through with the Missouri game, between that and the postseason, I'm going to get a new hip."
MORE: Sam Pittman to have hip surgery after season
This marks the second time Pittman will not coach on the sideline during his five-year tenure. He did not coach the 2020 game at Florida due to having COVID-19.
Arkansas and Missouri will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network. Click here for live updates from HawgBeat.
